Telescopic sight mount for rifles



mam GR 292669331 SR Dec. 16, 1941. c. M. O'NEIL 2,266,331

TELESCOPIC SIGHT MOUNT FOR RIFLES Filed March 27, 1939 fnveioior Mfi WMAi'iorneys till Patented Dec. 16, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICETELESCOPIC SIGHT MOUNT F OR RIFLES Charles M. ONeil, Hopkins, Minn.,assignor of one-half to Donald S. Hopkins, Spokane,

Wash.

Application March 2'7, 1939, Serial No. 264,388

4 Claims.

adjusted position of the sight relative to the bore of the rifle.Consequently rifles equipped with telescopic sights must ordinarily becarefully handled and protected to prevent loss of adjustment of thesight and damage thereto. The need for protection and careful handlingwould usually preclude the use of rifles having telescopic sights inmilitary service or for any other use wherein rough handling isdiflicult to avoid.

An object of my invention is to provide a device for effectivelyprotecting the telescopic sight of a rifle against loss of adjustment ordamage from contact with other objects and from jarring of thetelescopic sight.

Another object is to provide such a protection evice affording access tothe adjustment elements of a telescopic sight and including protectionmeans therefor.

Still another object is to provide such a device supported from afirearm independently of a telescopic sight.

Yet another object is to provide such a device permitting yielding of atelescope sight responsive to jarring thereof within limits wherein theof my invention particularly suited therefor mounted thereon;

- Fig. 2 is a partial top view;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 as indicatedby the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 as indicatedby the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2 as indicatedby the arrows;

Fig. 6' is a sectional view taken on the line V 6-6 of Fig. 2 asindicated by the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a partial top view of a telescopic sight equipped sportsmansrifle having an embodiment of my invention particularly suited thereformounted thereon;

Fig. 8 is a partial side view;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8 as indicatedby the arrows;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line I0III of Fig. 8 asindicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on the line IIII of Fig. 8 asindicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, afirearm I2 is shown having thereon a telescope sight unit I3 and anembodiment of my invention particularly suited to firearms for militaryuse or other relatively rough service. The telescope sight unit is ofconventional construction and includes outwardly projecting adjustmentelements I4 and I5.

As shown in Fig. 4, the telescope sight unit I3 is rigidly attached inits medial portion to the rifle I2 by means of a narrow clamping elementI9 secured to the rifle I2 by suitable means such as the screws 20. Byreference to the drawing, it will be noted that clamping element I9engages only a very narrow zone of the external medial portion of thesight, thereby providing for slight deflection of the sight throughresiliency of element I9 and the inherent resiliency of the sight casingitself.

At the forward end of the telescope sight unit I provide a guard elementI8, as shown in Fig. 3, having a general figure eight shape. The lowerportion of the guard element I8 closely encircles and is fixed to thebarrel I M of the rifle I2. The upper portion of the guard element I8encircles the forward portion of the telescope sight unit I3 in slightlyradially spaced relation thereto so as to permit deflection of thetelescope sight unit responsive to jarring thereof through a distance solimited that the telescope sight unit will return to its normal positiondue to its own resiliency.

I provide a casing I6 to be mounted on the firearm I2 and to contain thetelescope sight unit I3 so that the telescope sight unit will not comein contact with objects so as to become damaged or be jarred out ofadjustment. While the shield I6 may take various forms the illustratedform is constructed to have a general inverted U-shaped cross section sothat the shield I6 may be disposed parallel to the telescope sight unitI3 in straddling relation therewith. The shield I6 may be made of sheetmaterial such as sheet metal of suitable thickness.

Means is provided for attaching the shield iii to the firearm l2. At theforward end of the shield I6 apertured ears I! are formed thereon andmay be attached to the guard element l8 by means of screws lla screwthreadedly engaged in suitably located internally screw threadedapertured portions of the guard element [8 as shown in Fig. 3.

The medial portion of the shield I is notched to obtain clearancebetween the shield l6 and the clamping element l9 and screws 20.

The rear portion of the shield I6 is slightly radially spaced from therear portion of the telescope sight unit l3 and is provided withapertured ears 2| which may be attached to suitably located internallyscrew threaded apertured portions of the firearm l2 by means of screws22.

Means is provided for protecting the outwardly projecting adjustmentelements l4 and ,l5 of the telescope sight without preventing access tothe adjustment elements for the purpose of adjustively manipulating thesame. For this purpose I provide partial enclosures for the adjustmentelements l4 and I5, these enclosures having open sides permitting accessto diametrically opposite portions of the peripheries of the adjustmentelements I4 and 15. While these enclosures may take various forms Iprefer to form them of strap-like strips 23 and 24 of sheet metal. Asshown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5 the protective elements 23 and 24 extendparallel to the length of the firearm l2 and arch over the respectiveadjustment elements l4 and I5. The

guard element It is, of course, provided with apertures therethrough toaccommodate the adjustment elements l4 and I5 so that these adjustmentelements may project through and outwardly of the shield I B. Theprotective elements 23 and 24 are of general U-shaped construction withthe medial portions extending diametrically over the respectiveadjustment elements l4 and I5 and the free ends secured to the shield l6integrally or otherwise as desired.

Where my shield I6 is used with a telescope sight wherein the adjustmentelements are near the forward end thereof protective elements 25 and 26shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 6 are provided on the forward portion of theshield l6, and the shield I6 is also suitably apertured at the locationsof the protective elements 25 and 26 .to accommodate adjustment elementssimilar to the elements l4 and IE but located on the forward portion ofthe telescope sight unit.

Figs. 7 to 11 illustrate a form of telescope sight protective deviceadapted for use in firearms for sporting purposes or other purposeswherein the service is not as rough as in military use or similar uses.This form of my protective device is shown associated with a firearm 21and a telescope sight unit 28. The telescope sight unit 28 is attachedto the firearm 21 in its medial portion by a bracket 38. As shown inFig. 10, the bracket 30 is of general figure 8 shape with the lowerportion encircling the barrel 21a of the rifle 21 and the upper portionencircling the telescope sight unit 28. The lower portion of the bracket30 is fixed on the rifle barrel 2111 by any suitable means. The upperportion of the bracket 30 is split, as shown, and is held together bymeans such as the screws 38a so as to enable clamping of the telescopesight unit 28 therein.

My guard unit for the forward end of the telescope sight 28 is shown inFig. 9 and consists of an element 29 of figure 8 shape with its lowerportion closely encircling and fixed to the rifle barrel 21a and itsupper portion encircling the forward end of the telescope sight unit 28in slightly radially spaced relation thereto.

My guard unit for the rear portion of the telescope sight 28 is shown inFig. 11 and includes a tubular element 3| encircling the rear end of thetelescope sight 28 in slightly radially spaced relation therewith. Thetubular element 3| is provided with apertured longitudinally extendingflanges 32 which may be secured to the frame of the rifle 21 by suitablemeans such as the screws 33.

The guard element 3| is provided with a forwardly projecting extension33 of U-shaped cross section and disposed in straddling, radially spacedrelation with the rear portion of the telescope sight unit 28. Theillustrated type of telescope sight unit is, as indicated in Fig. 8,provided with outwardly projecting adjustment elements 281:. and 28b andthe U-shaped extension or shield 33 is suitably apertured to accommodateprojection of the adjustment elements 28a and 281) through the shieldelement 33 and therebeyond.

Protective means is provided for the adjustment elements 28a and 281).This protective means consists of elements 34 and 35 similar to theelements 23 and 24 of the previously described embodiment of myinvention and mounted on the shield element 33 in a manner similar tothat in which the protective elements 23 and 24 are mounted on theshield [6 of the previously described form.

It should be readily seen that my protective shields l6 and 33 willprotect a telescope sight against contact with objects which wouldotherwise result in damage to or misadjustment of the telescope sightand that the protective eleaments 23, 24, 25,-26, 34, and 35 are capableof protecting the adjustment elements of a telescope sight and yetafford access to th adjustment elements for the purpose of adjustivemanipulation thereof. It should also be seen that the guard units l6,I8, 29 and 3| will permit a slight deflection of a telescope sight butso limit such deflection that the telescope sight will return to itsnormal position due to its own resiliency.

It is apparent that I have invented a novel, effective, light, compact,rugged, and inexpensive form of telescope sight protective equipmentwhich is readily adapted for incorporation thereof in the structure of afirearm.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts1without departing from the scope of my inven- What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a fire arm and a telescope sight therefor, aprotective device for said sight comprising, an element rigidly carriedby said fire arm and clamping a relatively narrow zone on the externalmedial portion of said sight, a guard element adjacent one of the endsof said sight rigidly secured to said fire arm and having an annularinner periphery normally spaced a slight distance outwardly of the outerperiphery of said sight and encircling the same concentrically to limitdeflection of said sight from the normal position thereof whilepermitting slight deflection through the striking of said sight againstan object, the resiliency of said sight and said clamping elementreturning said sight to normal position when so struck.

2. In combination with a fire arm and a telescope sight therefor, aprotective device for said sight comprising, an element rigidly carriedby said fire arm and clamping a relatively narrow zone on the externalmedial portion of said sight, a guard element for the forward portion ofsaid sight rigidly secured to said fire arm and having a circularlycurved inner periphery spaced a slight distance outwardly of the outerperiphery of said sight and concentrically encircling the same, and aprotective shield covering at least the rear portion of said sight andrigidly secured to said fire arm, said shield also having a circularlycurved inner periphery normally spaced a slight distance outwardly ofthe outer periphery of the rear of said sight and concentricallyencircling the same, said guard element and shield limiting deflectionof said sight from the normal position thereof, while permitting slightdeflection through the striking of said sight against an object.

3. In combination with a fire arm and a telescope sight therefor, aprotective device for said sight comprising, an element rigidly carriedby said fire arm and clamping a relatively narrow zone on the externalmedial portion of said sight, a protective shield comprising atrough-shaped member of substantially inverted U-shaped cross sectionencircling at least the rear portion of said sight, means for securingsaid shield to said fire arm, the upper portion of the inner peripheryof said shield being normally concentric with the encircled portion ofsaid sight but spaced a slight distance therefrom to limit deflection ofsaid sight from the normal position, while permitting slight deflectionthrough the striking of said sight against an object, the resiliency ofsaid sight and said clamping element returning said sight to normalposition when so struck.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3, and said shield extendingsubstantially the length of said sight and covering the same, anoutwardly projecting adjustment element on said sight, said shieldhaving an aperture for projection of said adjustment elementtherethrough, and a protective strip bent into U-shape outwardly of saidadjustment element and over said aperture and secured to said shield.

CHARLES M. ONEIL.

